There was a knock at the door. “Who would be knocking at the door, and why wouldn’t they just ring the doorbell?” There it was again. Who could it be in this time of social distancing?
Well, it looks like a rosé has dropped by. I wondered if I could get a better look before opening the door.
Nope, not much more information. I guess I’ll risk it and let it in; but everyone needs to keep their distance.
Oh, perhaps it’s a cousin or some other relative on the family vine.
Dinner was already planned, eggplant parmesan with pasta and broccoli. I only had about half a glass with dinner. Despite purchasing a case of the Parducci rose in the past, I don’t really drink rosés on a regular basis to have a good frame of reference for them.
The first glass I had at around 60 degrees. One of us got honeysuckle, the other got a general unidentifiable aroma; “it smells like wine.” Helpful, I know. The first taste was a bit of alcohol, heat, with a fruit that turned to strawberry. It wasn’t strawberry like fruit punch, there was none of that type of sweetness. There was a hint or rumor of sweet on that first taste to start, which turned to a dry finish. It had a full body.
We chilled the bottle and gave it another taste. This time we got a melon aroma. When tasting this glass, we got a bit of acidity, some fruit (again, not sweet), and the alcohol diminished. It wasn’t sweet, it wasn’t dry, but it was closer to dry.
For the last glass we let the bottle warm back up. We preferred it this way. I got a bit more mineral from it, and in general a lot more flavor. After the last glass we were surprised we finished the bottle and said, “that went down way too fast”. Guessing a price, we both said $15 a bottle.
@markgm great write up, my friend! And it’s always nice to see folks trying white and rose wines at different temperatures - something I stress as much as I can. Cheers!
@markgm Wine reviews should tell a story, and you nailed yours! What fun! What I love about your review and a lot of what is on this site is that it takes the snobbery out of wine. The only thing missing was having the wines wear masks!
Good morning, Casemates family!
I received the 2018 Capo Isetta Rose to review. And I was happy to see that a Rose was being offered, as my supply was getting low from the NxNW event a few months ago, and with warmer weather approaching, I would be more likely to gravitate to this variety.
The NW has been my favorite Rose - drier, not sweet, with some great character going on. I use this as a benchmark because I know it’s well known in this community.
Seeing the Lodi appellation for this offering, I was especially interested, as that is my favorite California wine destination. So how does this compare in the world of Roses?
It’s a pale, peach/salmon color, not quite the red tones of some other Roses. It’s clear, appealing.
On the nose, I get peach/apricot, like the skin. Maybe a hint of strawberry, and slight flint or stone. Low alcohol lets the aromas present themselves and come together nicely.
Palate - we sampled this the same day it was delivered, only about an hour in the fridge, so as not to restrict the flavors. Pop and pour (no pop, just untwist!): a delightful, clean mouth feel, full presence of fruit, but no fruit bomb! Not as dry as the NW, sweeter, but just right in the balance. The peach/apricot from the nose continued, minerality is slightly present, a hint of floral is there as well - a superb blend!
The lower alcohol and medium-to-low acidity allows the flavors to come forward. It’s a great stand-alone wine, but there is plenty of structure to pair nicely with seafood, some light-to-medium pasta dishes, or white cheese sampling.
Finish - Longer than I expected, a good 20-30 seconds, lingering around the mouth and on the back of the tongue.
I am impressed with this offering! It’s a welcome departure from the typical cloyingly sweet Roses (I cut my wine teeth on white Zinfandel - too many years ago!), with good fruit/mineral combination and dryness.
I would recommend not overly chilling the wine - 2nd day tasting immediately out of the fridge closed down the flavors until it warmed up a bit. 45 degrees (approx.) is the sweet spot.
Totally recommend!
@Kraxberger another great write up - enjoy hearing how you tried it at different temperatures as well. The 2018 is listed as zero RS - so if it is coming across ‘slightly sweet’, it’s perceived fruit sweet, right? Cheers
@Fe2_O3 it’s only a 24 hour sale, but maybe hold out for a rat or additional info. If it’s mostly PN there’s a good chance it’ll be up your alley… But the wine specs list mostly Zin and a little syrah which would probably be a little fruitier / heavy in my experience
@CruelMelody actually yes. Thank you wine person for articulating exactly what it was that was holding me back. That is a big discrepancy. Will someone be able to report back?
@CruelMelody@Fe2_O3 On the main page, it’s listed as “50% Pinot Noir 22% Cabernet Sauvignon 15% Zinfandel 13% Syrah” (for the 2018, anyway). I’d like to know for sure before I order, though.
@CruelMelody@Fe2_O3@shahnm From their website, this descriptor is applied to the 2018 only. The 2019 does not have any info on varietal, appellation, etc.
Give me some positives people! I ordered a case because decent rose’s are getting low. Oh and pretty much I trust winedavid to provide some solid juice.
@tercerowines Lodi does indeed grow Pinot. Oak Ridge Winery offers a couple of varieties - I sampled them at their tasting room. They are somewhat heftier than typical CA Pinot, more like Oregon - no slouch Pinot there!
@Kraxberger interesting . . . and when I think of OR pinots, I tend to think of earthier, more acid-driven pinots - not something I would associate with Lodi for the most part. But heck, I guess I learn something new every day Cheers!
@tercerowines@WCCWineGirl Correct from what I see as well. However, the 2019 is remarkably soft on facts - origin, varietals, ph, etc.
I still ordered a case, based on how well they did in 2018!
@tercerowines You’re spot on with the description of OR Pinots - I love them!
Lodi’s PN (at least at Oak Ridge) is denser, darker fruit, heftier structure, but yet smooth drinking. I’d love to see some blind tasting on them, and see how many people could pick it correctly.
@jwNC@Kraxberger If NC, yeah I’m here also. I’ve tried before and never found any casemates in Asheville (pretty far from the big metro areas of NC). Normally I am in the Portland PDX area in the West but am basically “stuck” here. It’s not a place to be stuck. I resisted ordering wine for a while thinking I was going to hit the road in a week or two, but it looks like I’ll be here for a while!
@jwNC@pmarin@RDUORDMDWGSO Ok, applying my limited detective skills, I’m guessing a pilot by profession? I recognize airport codes - Raleigh, Chicago, Midway, and Greensboro.
Definitely will keep this group in mind for splits - I’m actually in Mebane - halfway between RDU and GSO.
@shahnm why does that somehow sound like the recent coronavirus advisories (just two more weeks, just till Easter, just one more month, Just till Memorial Day). It’s enough to lead someone to drinkin’
Not sure if it was intended, but the coupon code offered right now over at Meh for the QPR wine offer (TRYCASEMATES) worked on this order… $10 off. Just a heads up for all you cheapskates.
Last time (well, a few months ago) a similar thing happened and they could “repurpose” the planned smaller packs into cases. I can’t remember which winery that was. So they did create an extra stock of cases for a while. I hope this happens this time. But since the last word was “just a few 3-packs left” I guess I’m in for a 3-pack. Hate that 33% penalty fee, though. It should be waived when cases run out.
@pmarin Not always possible - the larger the case-level discount from the smaller quantity the more money the winery is giving up by allocating more of the stock to the case vs the smaller pack. Only a small portion of the difference is the shipping cost - 4 bottles costs about 75-80% of the per case shipping price.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2018/2019 Capo Isetta Rosé - $63 = 33.50%
Gold Medal - 2020 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
In our 2nd venture into rosé, we have continued with a Pinot Noir based blend. On the nose, it has the aroma of stone fruit with a hint of fig. It also has notes of watermelon rind, strawberries, tart pomelo fruit, and raspberry brambles. Mineral driven acidity lends a crispness to the mid-palate and finish.
Enjoy a glass by itself or with Oysters on the half shell, light Italian Pastas or any Rice-based dish! And of course, enjoy with your family and friends on a beautiful day. In Vino Rose Veritas!
Specs
Vintage: 2018
Zinfandel; 13% Syrah
Appellation: Lodi, California
Alcohol: 12.5%
Residual Sugar: 0.0
Cases Produced: 200
2019 Capo Isetta Rosé
Tasting Notes
Capturing the hue of “The lady of the Lake” Rosé, this pale, soft, pink rosé sparkles in the glass. With pleasant aromas of watermelon, strawberry and enticing tropical fruits. Crisp and with a touch of acidity, this Rose is light and refreshing from start to finish. Either with food or just by the glass, we recommend enjoying chilled.
Winery: Capo Isetta
Owners: Marilyn, Bill & Dominic Isetta
Location: Sonoma, California
The Capo Isetta Story
As you might have guessed by the CAPO ISETTA name, we are a family business focused on making CAPO (Italian for “CHIEF”) wines.
We live and work in Sonoma Valley, California where the Good Lord has blessed our family with a great life and the fulfillment of a dream…making great wines that honor our Family name and our ancestors who blazed the Sonoma-Napa wine trails.
Our Nonno, Giacomo “GIAC” Isetta, a cooper, excelled at his craft of making wine barrels. Our Dads- Andy Isetta and Ray Hulmer- both worked at Christian Brothers Winery with the famous cellar master, Brother Timothy. Andy ran the operations at Mont LaSalle before starting his own small winery with Nonno- OLD PIONEER WINE Company of San Francisco. Ray retired as the Treasurer and Controller for Christian Brothers Wines and Brandy in 1978 after working there for 35 years.
We look to produce wines that are fruit-forward, luscious, and ready to enjoy upon release. We focus on limited production, sourcing our Grapes from well-established vineyards. Our winemaker’s goal is to balance rich sensuous textures and compelling fruit with the character and complexity that come from grapes’ terriors.
When you drink our Isetta CAPO Wines, you will learn the true meaning of the Latin phrase, “In VINO VERITAS.”
2019 Capo Isetta Rose
There was a knock at the door. “Who would be knocking at the door, and why wouldn’t they just ring the doorbell?” There it was again. Who could it be in this time of social distancing?
Well, it looks like a rosé has dropped by. I wondered if I could get a better look before opening the door.
Nope, not much more information. I guess I’ll risk it and let it in; but everyone needs to keep their distance.
Oh, perhaps it’s a cousin or some other relative on the family vine.
Dinner was already planned, eggplant parmesan with pasta and broccoli. I only had about half a glass with dinner. Despite purchasing a case of the Parducci rose in the past, I don’t really drink rosés on a regular basis to have a good frame of reference for them.
The first glass I had at around 60 degrees. One of us got honeysuckle, the other got a general unidentifiable aroma; “it smells like wine.” Helpful, I know. The first taste was a bit of alcohol, heat, with a fruit that turned to strawberry. It wasn’t strawberry like fruit punch, there was none of that type of sweetness. There was a hint or rumor of sweet on that first taste to start, which turned to a dry finish. It had a full body.
We chilled the bottle and gave it another taste. This time we got a melon aroma. When tasting this glass, we got a bit of acidity, some fruit (again, not sweet), and the alcohol diminished. It wasn’t sweet, it wasn’t dry, but it was closer to dry.
For the last glass we let the bottle warm back up. We preferred it this way. I got a bit more mineral from it, and in general a lot more flavor. After the last glass we were surprised we finished the bottle and said, “that went down way too fast”. Guessing a price, we both said $15 a bottle.
@markgm Sorry… couldn’t tell from the pictures. Did you get the 2018 or the 2019?
@jwNC I got the 2019. The labels are quite minimalistic!
@markgm great write up, my friend! And it’s always nice to see folks trying white and rose wines at different temperatures - something I stress as much as I can. Cheers!
@markgm Just curious why we can’t rep the main posts in this thread, but you can rep the responses…
@markgm Epic LR report!!!
@markgm From one LabRat to another - great write up! I love the creativity!
@markgm Wine reviews should tell a story, and you nailed yours! What fun! What I love about your review and a lot of what is on this site is that it takes the snobbery out of wine. The only thing missing was having the wines wear masks!
@ejrunion @markgm
Good morning, Casemates family!
I received the 2018 Capo Isetta Rose to review. And I was happy to see that a Rose was being offered, as my supply was getting low from the NxNW event a few months ago, and with warmer weather approaching, I would be more likely to gravitate to this variety.
The NW has been my favorite Rose - drier, not sweet, with some great character going on. I use this as a benchmark because I know it’s well known in this community.
Seeing the Lodi appellation for this offering, I was especially interested, as that is my favorite California wine destination. So how does this compare in the world of Roses?
It’s a pale, peach/salmon color, not quite the red tones of some other Roses. It’s clear, appealing.
On the nose, I get peach/apricot, like the skin. Maybe a hint of strawberry, and slight flint or stone. Low alcohol lets the aromas present themselves and come together nicely.
Palate - we sampled this the same day it was delivered, only about an hour in the fridge, so as not to restrict the flavors. Pop and pour (no pop, just untwist!): a delightful, clean mouth feel, full presence of fruit, but no fruit bomb! Not as dry as the NW, sweeter, but just right in the balance. The peach/apricot from the nose continued, minerality is slightly present, a hint of floral is there as well - a superb blend!
The lower alcohol and medium-to-low acidity allows the flavors to come forward. It’s a great stand-alone wine, but there is plenty of structure to pair nicely with seafood, some light-to-medium pasta dishes, or white cheese sampling.
Finish - Longer than I expected, a good 20-30 seconds, lingering around the mouth and on the back of the tongue.
I am impressed with this offering! It’s a welcome departure from the typical cloyingly sweet Roses (I cut my wine teeth on white Zinfandel - too many years ago!), with good fruit/mineral combination and dryness.
I would recommend not overly chilling the wine - 2nd day tasting immediately out of the fridge closed down the flavors until it warmed up a bit. 45 degrees (approx.) is the sweet spot.
Totally recommend!
@Kraxberger another great write up - enjoy hearing how you tried it at different temperatures as well. The 2018 is listed as zero RS - so if it is coming across ‘slightly sweet’, it’s perceived fruit sweet, right? Cheers
@Kraxberger Thank you for the descriptive notes. I for one always appreciate 2nd day notations.
@tercerowines Correct - sweeter as opposed to drier, driven from fruit, not fruity nor fruit bomb. Hard to describe, on this side of Master Sommelier
.
Great labrat reports!
Hey wine people. I love some roses. I hate other roses.
I really like Cotes Des Roses and Cotes de Provence. I think I’ve liked Sophia Rose too.
I think that means I like what I’d call thin and light not super sweet roses. Am I basically right?
Am I going to like this wine?
@Fe2_O3
Hopefully some “lab rats” will chime in to help shed some light on that question…
@Fe2_O3 would you like to be a labrat?
@Fe2_O3 it’s only a 24 hour sale, but maybe hold out for a rat or additional info. If it’s mostly PN there’s a good chance it’ll be up your alley… But the wine specs list mostly Zin and a little syrah which would probably be a little fruitier / heavy in my experience
@CruelMelody actually yes. Thank you wine person for articulating exactly what it was that was holding me back. That is a big discrepancy. Will someone be able to report back?
@Winedavid49 why yes I would. Any chance you know if it’s the listed Pinot Noir or the listed Zin Syrah blend?
@CruelMelody @Fe2_O3 On the main page, it’s listed as “50% Pinot Noir 22% Cabernet Sauvignon 15% Zinfandel 13% Syrah” (for the 2018, anyway). I’d like to know for sure before I order, though.
@Fe2_O3 Not too sweet, not too dry. I loved it!
@CruelMelody @Fe2_O3 @shahnm From their website, this descriptor is applied to the 2018 only. The 2019 does not have any info on varietal, appellation, etc.
Give me some positives people! I ordered a case because decent rose’s are getting low. Oh and pretty much I trust winedavid to provide some solid juice.
@jenludwig yay!!
@jenludwig @Winedavid49 Our Rose is amazing and the 2019 vintage is no different, you’re going to really enjoy it.
Where did all the grapes come from? My guess is the pinot did not come from Lodi, right?!?!?
@tercerowines
Musical grapes?
Just askin’
@rjquillin perhaps
@tercerowines Lodi does indeed grow Pinot. Oak Ridge Winery offers a couple of varieties - I sampled them at their tasting room. They are somewhat heftier than typical CA Pinot, more like Oregon - no slouch Pinot there!
@Kraxberger interesting . . . and when I think of OR pinots, I tend to think of earthier, more acid-driven pinots - not something I would associate with Lodi for the most part. But heck, I guess I learn something new every day
Cheers!
@tercerowines According to the winery, the 2018 Rose is 100% from Lodi.
@tercerowines @WCCWineGirl Correct from what I see as well. However, the 2019 is remarkably soft on facts - origin, varietals, ph, etc.
I still ordered a case, based on how well they did in 2018!
@tercerowines You’re spot on with the description of OR Pinots - I love them!
Lodi’s PN (at least at Oak Ridge) is denser, darker fruit, heftier structure, but yet smooth drinking. I’d love to see some blind tasting on them, and see how many people could pick it correctly.
@tercerowines The grapes do come from Lodi and our Rose is from Pinot Noir
@Kraxberger @tercerowines @WCCWineGirl Thank you for your order, your going to love the 2019 vintage. If possible it is even better than the 2018 vintage. Here is a link to our website for more information, https://capoisetta.com/
A thank you to the rats! My order isn’t working well with giphy, for obvious reasons:
/giphy reasonable-raunchy-chalk
@jwNC I’m guessing the NC is North Carolina? If so, whereabouts?
@jwNC @Kraxberger If NC, yeah I’m here also. I’ve tried before and never found any casemates in Asheville (pretty far from the big metro areas of NC). Normally I am in the Portland PDX area in the West but am basically “stuck” here. It’s not a place to be stuck. I resisted ordering wine for a while thinking I was going to hit the road in a week or two, but it looks like I’ll be here for a while!
@jwNC @pmarin I’m near Greensboro, probably 3 hours from you. Maybe a split deal could be in our future.
@jwNC @Kraxberger @pmarin
I’m in GSO and would be interested in future splits.
@Kraxberger @pmarin @RDUORDMDWGSO Raleigh area here.
@jwNC @pmarin @RDUORDMDWGSO Ok, applying my limited detective skills, I’m guessing a pilot by profession? I recognize airport codes - Raleigh, Chicago, Midway, and Greensboro.
Definitely will keep this group in mind for splits - I’m actually in Mebane - halfway between RDU and GSO.
Special thanks to the rats!
/image helpless-military-tray
/giphy helpless-military-tray
@shahnm why does that somehow sound like the recent coronavirus advisories (just two more weeks, just till Easter, just one more month, Just till Memorial Day). It’s enough to lead someone to drinkin’
/giphy obliging-guiltless-harbor
Not sure if it was intended, but the coupon code offered right now over at Meh for the QPR wine offer (TRYCASEMATES) worked on this order… $10 off. Just a heads up for all you cheapskates.
@vandemusser Thanks, fellow cheapskate, it worked for me as well
Last time (well, a few months ago) a similar thing happened and they could “repurpose” the planned smaller packs into cases. I can’t remember which winery that was. So they did create an extra stock of cases for a while. I hope this happens this time. But since the last word was “just a few 3-packs left” I guess I’m in for a 3-pack. Hate that 33% penalty fee, though. It should be waived when cases run out.
@pmarin Not always possible - the larger the case-level discount from the smaller quantity the more money the winery is giving up by allocating more of the stock to the case vs the smaller pack. Only a small portion of the difference is the shipping cost - 4 bottles costs about 75-80% of the per case shipping price.
We finished the last bottle of NXNW rose this week so the timing on this was perfect. But if you could find a way to bring back the NXNW, I’d be in.
Capo Isetta Rosé
3 bottles for $46.99 $15.66/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $124.99 $10.42/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2018 Capo Isetta Rosé
2019 Capo Isetta Rosé
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2018/2019 Capo Isetta Rosé - $63 = 33.50%
/giphy fantabulous-simple-pony
Hey, why did the main page says it ships to IL, when it doesn’t? Felt like the rug was pulled out from under me. Really disappointed.
@kfroehlich winery by winery permit situations. IL is mostly always a yes state, but not on the QPR wines.
Sold out! is there a chance for more?
@msalive a few of the 3 packs left
@msalive @WCCWineGirl
Not bad, nearly a SO here and paused over there.
@msalive @WCCWineGirl
A first for @winedavid49
Two sell-outs in one day.
Powerless against this seemingly cool offering, especially given the current state of the world.
/giphy scientific-habitual-drain
/giphy grotesque-possible-writer
Whew! Just grabbed an order at what looks like was the last second
2018 Capo Isetta Rosé
Tasting Notes
Gold Medal - 2020 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Specs
2019 Capo Isetta Rosé
Tasting Notes
Specs
Included in the Box
Price Comparison
$411 a Case for 2018 Vintage/2019 Vintage not sold online at Capo Isetta
About The Winery
Winery: Capo Isetta
Owners: Marilyn, Bill & Dominic Isetta
Location: Sonoma, California
The Capo Isetta Story
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Apr 27 - Tuesday, Apr 28